Blue Marlin Grand Championship

A Work of Art emerged victorious after angler Kevin Courville reeled in a blue marlin weighing 597.4 pounds. Captain Jason Buck, behind the wheel of Art Favre’s Viking 92, put Kevin on the 120.5-inch fish that he fought for two hours– in a thunderstorm! This team is the first repeat winner having also won the inaugural event in 2012 – with Kevin reeling in that winning fish, too. Every marlin weighed was donated to Cooper Farm, where volunteers processed the fish to provide food for families in need.

“The first time was phenomenal,” said Art. “But this time, 11 years later, it’s been even greater. The competition’s much more difficult; the quality of the other anglers and the captains has increased. And the boats are bigger, better and faster.”

The Top Release Boat was the Viking 72 Team Supreme. Alex Krake released six blue marlin for the win. Quick Time, a Viking 70, claimed 3rd Place Release Boat with Robert Burroughs' four blue marlin and one white marlin.

Reel Fire, a Viking 76, weighed the 2nd Heaviest Wahoo with Travis Dorland’s 32.4-pound fish. This was the final leg of the Gulf Coast Triple Crown Championship Series – more on that next week!

Oak Bluffs Bluewater Classic

No Mercy, a Viking 55, added some hardware to their trophy case with 1st Place Overall Points and 3rd Place Billfish Points at the Oak Bluffs Bluewater Classic. Jeff Feuerman and his team released three blue marlin and one white marlin while also weighing a pair of big eyes and pair of yellowfin. The team also weighed the 3rd Place Wahoo at 67 pounds.

Second Place Boat was George Robinson’s Viking 64 Polarizer, which also claimed 2nd Place Billfish Points. But there’s more! Polarizer completed a historic Super Grand Slam – releasing a blue marlin, white marlin, swordfish and spearfish within 24 hours. The second storyline is that George reported the spearfish he released was a longbill spearfish, knowing that in the Oak Bluffs rules, only roundscale spearfish qualify. This honest reporting essentially moved Polarizer from 1st Place to 2nd Place. Longbill spearfish is an incredibly rare catch in the Northern Atlantic, so tournament directors sent the catch video to four independent marine biologists for verification – and it was indeed confirmed.

Tom Ripley’s Valhalla 46 Summersalt claimed 3rd Place Overall Points. The team released two blue marlin, three white marlin, as well as half a dozen meatfish.

John Clark, Top Junior Angler, caught the Heaviest Swordfish at 144 pounds. John was fishing on the Viking 58 Strictly Business. Gypsea, a Viking 66, caught the 1st Place Tuna with a 245-pound bigeye and the 1st Place Mahi, a 17.3-pound fish. The Viking 38 Playing Hooky weighed the 2nd Place Tuna at 225 pounds. Second Place Mahi was a 14.8-pound fish caught on the Viking 66 Reel Crazy. Lady Lisa, a Viking 55, claimed the 3rd Place Swordfish at 97 pounds and the Heaviest Wahoo, an 86-pound ‘hoo.

Sixty boats competed off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard.

Offshore Showdown

Krazy Salt’s led the leaderboard at South Jersey Yacht Sales’ Offshore Showdown. The Anderson family’s Viking 80 claimed 1st Places in Overall Points, White Marlin Points and Tuna Points. John Allen weighed the 2nd Place Tuna at 78 pounds. Top Male Angler Points was awarded to Jack Kraczewski with teammate Dan Daddit taking 2nd Place.

Second Place Overall Points went to the Viking 61 Good Chemistry. Fifteen-year-old Asha Chakrabarti caught the Heaviest Tuna with a 167-pound bigeye. This helped the team clinch the 2nd Place Tuna Points award and secure the Top Junior Female Angler title for Asha.

The Sport Fishing Championship’s Katie Sawyer interviewed Asha prior to the event. The passionate angler revealed that a bigeye was her targeted fish this summer. Goal met!

Viking 54 Irish Ayes angler Jay Pomante hooked the Heaviest Dolphin at 17 pounds, while Norm Gearhart on the Viking 64 Judge had the 3rd Place Dolphin. Roxanne Clubb, fishing on the Viking 50 Chain Reaction, weighed the 3rd Heaviest Tuna at 58 pounds.

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